The Children of Wilton Chase. Meade L. T.

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СКАЧАТЬ Bear it with a good grace. It will soon be over."

      "Basil, I thought you had gone with the others."

      "I wasn't ready, and Maggie has promised to send the boat back for me."

      "Maggie! As if she could give orders."

      "She can remind other people though. I'd back Maggie any day never to forget what a fellow wants."

      "Oh, yes, she's first with everyone. It's a very nasty stifling hot day."

      "Poor Ermie, you're cross, so you see everything distorted. You know whose pet you are, as well as possible – and the day is perfect, superb."

      "Am I really your pet, Basil?"

      "You conceited puss, you know you are. So is Maggie, too. She's a little darling."

      The latter part of Basil's speech brought the cloud once again to Ermengarde's face.

      "Oh, of course Maggie is everyone's pet," she said.

      Her brother interrupted her. "Don't begin that nonsense over again, Ermie; it's too childish. You are under punishment, I don't know for what. Of course I'm awfully vexed. But why abuse poor little Mag? I say, though, do you like apples?"

      "Apples? Pretty well."

      "You mean awfully. I have brought you some beauties."

      "How can I get them? I'm a prisoner here."

      "Oh, rot about your being a prisoner. Well, fair lady, you see if your knight can't come to your assistance. Now, catch!"

      He threw up a small piece of cord which he had weighted with lead. Ermengarde secured it.

      "Pull, pull away! You will soon be in possession of the spoil."

      Ermengarde pulled, and presently a dainty basket, which she recognized as Marjorie's most treasured receptacle for her working things, was grasped by her willing hands.

      "Now, good-by, Ermie. I'm off. The boat will be back by now. Of course I shan't botanize without you to-day, never fear. By-by; eat your apples, and reflect on the shortness of a single day."

      Basil bounded across the lawn, cleared the haha at the end, and disappeared from view.

      His interview with Ermengarde had both a soothing and a tonic effect on her. She felt almost cheerful as she sat by the open window, and munched her apples. That basket contained more than apples. There was one large peach, and two slices of rich plumcake were stowed away under the fruit. Then, perhaps dearest possession of all, Marjorie's own special copy of "Alice in Wonderland" lay at the bottom of the basket.

      After making a hearty meal of the fruit and cake, Ermengarde drew Miss Nelson's own easy-chair in front of the window, and taking up Marjorie's book began to read. She felt almost comfortable now; the punishment was not so unbearable when a brother sympathized and a sister lent of her best. The precious little copy of "Alice" had received a stain from the juice of the peach, and Ermengarde tried to wipe it out, and felt sorry for its owner.

      After all Marjorie was good-natured, and if she had been base enough to tell, she had at least the grace to be sorry afterward. Ermengarde thought she would ask Marjorie when she had told, how she had told, and where. She felt that she must believe her little sister, for no one had ever heard even the semblance of an untruth Marjorie's honest lips.

      Ermengarde sat on, and tried to lose herself in Alice's adventures. She was not at all sorry for her disobedience of the day before, but she was no longer in a state of despair, for her punishment seemed finite, and but for the thought of the wild happiness of the others, her present state was scarcely unendurable.

      Just then, raising her eyes, she saw a little girl walking down one of the side-paths which led round to the kitchens. She was a girl scarcely as tall as herself, neatly dressed in a pink cotton frock and white sun-bonnet. Her legs were encased in nice black stockings, and her small dainty feet wore shining shoes with buckles. Ermengarde instantly dropped her book, leaned half out of the window, and called in a loud voice, "Susy – Susy – Susan Collins! come here!"

      Little Susan raised an extremely pretty face, blushed, laughed, and ran gayly forward.

      "Is that you, Miss Ermengarde?" she said. "I thought you were away with the others. Father has helped to take them up to Pearl Island, better than two hours ago now."

      "Did they look happy, Susy? Tell me about them. Did you see them go?"

      "Yes, miss, I was standing behind the rose-hedge. Miss Maggie, she did laugh wonderful, and Master Eric, he just dashed in to give us his ferrets to take care of for him, miss."

      "And was Basil there, Susy?"

      "No, miss, they went off without him. I heard father say he'd bring back the boat for Master Basil, and I thought for sure you'd be going with him, miss. I hope, Miss Ermengarde, you ain't ill."

      "I'm not ill in body, Susan. But I've been most basely treated. I've been betrayed."

      "Oh, my word!" said Susan Collins. She pushed back her sun-bonnet, and revealed her whole charming curly golden head. She was a beautiful little girl, and Ermengarde had long ago made a secret friend of her.

      "I've been betrayed, Susy," continued Ermie. "But I can't tell you by whom. Only some one has told tales about me, and so I have been punished, and have been locked up in this room. I'm locked up now; I can't get out. I'm a prisoner!"

      Ermengarde felt her woes all the more keenly as she related them. Susy's blue eyes grew bright with pity.

      "Ain't it cruel?" she said. "I call it base to punish a lady like you, Miss Ermengarde, and you one of the best of created mortals."

      "It's Miss Nelson," said Ermengarde. "She's dreadfully prejudiced; I find it almost impossible to endure her."

      "I never did think nothing of that governess," said Susan with vigor. "It ain't for me to say it, but she don't seem fit company for the like of you, Miss Ermengarde. If I was you, I'd pay her out, that I would."

      "Oh, I have more than her to pay out," said Ermengarde. "I have been very unkindly treated."

      "That you have, miss, I'm sure."

      Susy's sympathy was very sweet to Ermengarde. She leaned farther out of the window, and looked down at the pretty little girl.

      "I'm glad you were passing, Susy," she said.

      "I'll stay for a bit, if you like, miss. I'm in no sort of a hurry."

      "I wish you could come and sit with me, Susy; I can't shout to you from the window. People who are passing may hear us."

      "That they may, miss. There never was a truer saying than that trees have ears."

      Ermengarde looked round her apprehensively. She had been many times forbidden to have any intercourse with Susan Collins, whose father, although he retained his post as gamekeeper, was regarded by Mr. Wilton as a somewhat shady character. Ermengarde fancied she liked Susy because of the little girl's remarkable beauty, but the real reason why her fancy was captivated was because Susy was an adroit flatterer.

      When she spoke about trees having ears, Ermengarde glanced to right and left.

      "Perhaps you had better СКАЧАТЬ